Chapter 909: Reunion

Dusk was settling, and figures hurried across Cold Cloud Peak. Cultivators in white armor carried their weapons. The black-clad young man leading them had a somber expression, appearing furious, yet his hand resting on his sword was surprisingly light.

He had finally waited for this day.

The Fei clan had been semi-independent on the North Shore for many years. Chen Yang had repeatedly urged the peak leadership to abolish the Fei clan's limited autonomy, with that being his sole objective.

"My Chen clan, five generations of ancestors and descendants, have achieved so much. Yet we are not landlords, and our progeny tirelessly serve. What are you, the Fei clan? A bunch of worthless opportunists who switched allegiance midway. Do you even deserve to occupy land and support people?"

As for Fei Qingyi's desperate gamble, Chen Yang harbored no ill will. Instead, he felt a newfound appreciation, shaking his head slightly, as it changed his previous perception of Fei Qingyi as merely honest.

"Even a cornered rabbit bites. What a pity, his timing was unfortunate, otherwise he might not have failed. It's truly regrettable that he was ultimately consumed by a demonic cultivator. If it had been me… I wouldn't have charged in so foolishly…"

The Fei clan had always been cautious, persevering until now. Li Ximing and the Grand Owlview had already agreed to relocate the Fei clan members, and personnel from both sides had begun the handover. Once they were under the Grand Owlview's more relaxed governance, with support from higher-ups, their lives, like those of aristocratic landlords, would naturally be much easier.

Yet the Fei clan fell on the eve of this new dawn.

Now, the mountain was filled with incessant wailing and cries. Chen Yang listened as if to divine music, rubbing his hand on his sword a few times. Watching the woman being dragged like a dead dog before him, a few chuckles escaped his throat.

"Indeed, you're in for some suffering."

The Fei clan members on the ground cried out their innocence, but no one paid heed. Cold Cloud Peak was known for its snow scenery, and the white snow shimmered with a dim yellow light in the twilight. Chen Yang turned and strode away mercilessly. Outside the courtyard, two pots of plum blossoms still swayed in the wind and snow.

A young man in a crimson robe stood in the snow, a woman draped in a feathered cloak beside him. The young man's gaze was fixed on the plum blossoms. Chen Yang bowed respectfully and announced:

"Young Master! All Fei clan members have been apprehended, awaiting your disposition!"

After reporting, seeing that Li Jiangqian did not reply, he then eagerly suggested:

"These plum blossoms are beautiful, perhaps we could move them to the continent..."

"No need. They retain some vitality planted here. If moved, they certainly won't survive."

Li Jiangqian withdrew his gaze and said softly:

"This courtyard was once an ancestor's residence; every inch of it must be preserved. No damage whatsoever is allowed. As for the Fei clan members..."

He paused here, suddenly falling silent. Chen Yang was momentarily stunned, raising an eyebrow slightly, then noticed the entire courtyard brightening. The previously dim white snow, illuminated by a brilliant light, shimmered as it melted into thin snowmelt.

"Drip!"

Only then did he notice a drop of red falling before his eyes, seemingly dark red blood.

As soon as the blood hit the ground, it immediately transformed into a stream of cold air and drifted away. Everyone nearby looked up at the sky, witnessing dazzling bursts of light overhead.

The dark clouds in the sky dissipated, and colorful clouds gathered. A figure stood above the lake. The setting sun in the distance cast a brilliant red light upon him, making him difficult to look at directly, leaving only a silhouette that appeared dark amidst the intense radiance.

A familiar, tall halberd lay horizontally in the air. A man in white robes hung conspicuously from it, like a corpse. Red blood, like a flowing stream, dripped from his white robes, turning into flakes of white snow.

"Father!"

"Greetings, True Man!"

In the courtyard, a large number of people immediately fell to their knees. Chen Yang's mind reeled as if struck by thunder, his thoughts a blank, with only one thought remaining:

"It's not True Man Zhaojing? He succeeded! The Li clan now has a second Purple Mansion cultivator?!"

This thought was fleeting. In an instant, he understood who the man in white was:

Fei Qingyi! He's been captured and brought back!

"Thud..."

The long halberd was then inverted, and the man in white fell with a thud from the sky to the ground. He let out a groan, dragged his body, flipped over, and began kowtowing. No one in the courtyard dared to make a sound, only the thudding noises remained.

Li Jiangqian showed no surprise, having clearly met Li Zhouwei earlier. He flicked his robe, turned to bow in a different direction, and said respectfully:

"Congratulations, Lord, on achieving your Divine Power!"

At once, everyone bowed again in unison, speaking respectfully. The True Man in the sky was already gone, leaving only a faint instruction:

"Once this is handled, all of you come to the continent to see me."

The brilliant light receded, and everything in their sight reverted to the faint dark-red hues of the setting sun. Before the group had recovered from their speechless shock, Chen Yang immediately rushed forward, proclaiming:

"Fei Qingyi has become a demon, and the Fei clan colluded with the Northern Buddhist sect, intending to invite trouble into our home and harm Jiangnan. Their crimes are monstrous. The True Man, wise and mighty, turned the tide, but Fei Qingyi caused countless casualties on the North Shore. I only wish for him to be paraded through the streets for three days, then subjected to slow slicing and decapitation..."

Li Jiangqian waited for him to finish speaking loudly. All the cultivators and Fei clan members on the ground understood, and immediately, a chorus of voices rose from all directions. Only then did he wave his hand and say:

"That's too lenient for him. First, organize the troops and keep a close watch on everyone."

All of them reported and withdrew, whispering amongst themselves. Li Jiangqian frowned and whispered:

"The Fei clan caused severe casualties among the North Shore populace; they cannot be easily forgiven. However, Fei Qingya is still at the Grand Owlview. How do you suggest we deal with her?"

Li Quewan understood his meaning. The joy in her eyes slowly faded, replaced by a cold glint as she whispered:

"I don't think it's difficult. Fei Qingya doesn't have much affection for the Fei clan; simply write her a letter to inform her. She's like a character from a storybook, her sense of right and wrong more righteous than anyone else's, and the Grand Owlview will also be pleased to see this situation. This is a critical period; we cannot be lenient. Exterminating the entire clan might be too much, but annihilating three generations of Fei Qingyi's direct lineage would still be well-deserved. As for Fei Qingyi, whom we cannot control... I think no one else needs to be left alive."

Li Jiangqian nodded, still somewhat unsatisfied. The Fei clan had a large population; although many commoners named Fei had died in the recent battle, uprooting them completely would still result in tens of thousands of deaths. He pondered:

"Fei Qingyi still holds a position at Tangdao Mountain, nominally as a commander of the Grand Owlview. I think it's best to tie his three generations of kin to him and let the Solar Dao Sect handle it. As for the rest, deal with them according to the situation."

After all, Fei Qingyi was now a member of the Si clan and had sided with the enemy, making it impossible for her to get involved. Even if this woman felt pity, she had no right to speak. It wasn't that she hadn't warned the Fei clan, but given the circumstances, what else could be done?

The two settled the matter, gave their orders, and quickly departed. The sounds of weeping and sorrow gradually faded, and Cold Cloud Peak finally became deserted, leaving only white snow fluttering and falling heavily on the sealed hall nearby in the night.

The high pavilion stood peacefully in the wind. The white paint on its door panels was slightly faded, and the sound of falling snow was faint. Two winter plum blossoms bloomed quietly in the snow, seemingly unchanged.

Mount Zhijing.

Li Zhouwei descended with a flash of light, arriving at Mount Zhijing. The climate was strikingly different from Cold Cloud Peak's cold and desolate atmosphere. It was bright and radiant, with gardenias blooming profusely, creating a vibrant, passionate scene.

The man in the white-gold Daoist robe was anxiously pacing by the table. Seeing Li Zhouwei enter, his eyes held a smile, looking relieved, yet still anxious. Li Zhouwei cupped his hands and said:

"Junior greets Lord!"

Li Ximing picked up the pot from the table. His expression, previously weary from injuries, relaxed. Although he had retrieved his damaged body from Helian Wujiang in time, baleful energy still troubled his Dharma body. Having fought a True Man with three divine abilities for a while, the injuries he sustained were clearly not light.

"This trip to Tangdao Mountain, I must get some medicine from them... This time, I truly fought with my life on the line."

Returning from the north had truly frightened him. He had sensed from afar that Helian Wumeng was stopped at Baijiang Creek. If Helian Wumeng had moved south to slaughter, Li Ximing would have faced considerable risk trying to stop him. However, since Li Zhouwei had appeared here, he relaxed, silently observing from the great void, and returned a step earlier.

Now, he asked:

"When did you return?"

Li Zhouwei lightly loosened his hand, and Great Sheng disappeared. He bowed deeply, approached the table, and taking the tea Li Ximing had poured, said respectfully:

"Actually, time was quite ample, but the phenomena were concealed and cut off by the dragon kin. The stone talismans left for you, Lord, also became ineffective, hence it was unknown. After my breakthrough, I made a trip to the Dragon Palace and was already a few days late returning. I then saw the collapse of Xiaoshi Mountain, and things escalating, endangering the lakeside, so I stationed myself on the North Shore. I hope you, Lord, will forgive me for not going to Cailu Mountain for rescue..."

"That's nothing."

Li Ximing chuckled, put down the jade pot in his hand, and said earnestly:

"I knew you could succeed! But I never expected it to be so fast. It seems fate is truly on your side, granting you advantages ordinary people can only envy."

Normally, Li Ximing would have been overjoyed, wishing to hold a grand banquet and celebrate for three days. Unfortunately, the situation was truly unclear, and his own injuries were not light, casting a shadow over his joy. In just a moment, the shadow of worry surged into his mind again. He sighed, his cheerful expression receding, and whispered:

"I cannot handle this situation; I can only go with the flow. I have become overly close to the Solar Dao Sect. Now, it seems this North-South conflict is entirely different from previous years. Kui Qi has treated me well; there's no easy way for me to extricate myself now."

"I rushed back to save people just now and happened to meet you. I was originally going to Tangdao Mountain..."

Li Zhouwei shook his head, about to say more, but Li Ximing continued:

"You don't need to come with me. At this moment, everyone is looking out for themselves; you can play the stern one and just guard the family. If both you and I are seen as benevolent, some matters cannot be avoided."

Li Zhouwei naturally understood this point, but his expression was slightly complex as he replied:

"My trip to the Dragon Palace, the round-trip time was exactly at this point. There were many hints in their words, both overt and subtle, essentially not wanting me to get involved in the war below Luoxia. It seems all parties already have a consensus on the outcome of this great war."

Li Ximing felt a pang in his heart and asked:

"What else did the dragon kin say?"

Li Zhouwei first silently shook his head, then replied:

"Ding Jiao is in seclusion. He only left something for me in the Dragon Palace and instructed me to take it away... It was another white dragon who met me, and we only spoke a few words."

He raised his hand and took out a jade box from his sleeve. As the lid opened, an object was revealed: two bright, small circular rings.

"Spirit Treasure: Qianyang Bracelets!"

Li Zhouwei dared to confront Helian Wumeng and the four Compassionate Ones on the river, naturally because he had a trump card. Li Ximing, having used the Chongyang Star-Guiding Compass, knew full well the power of such treasures. His eyes instantly lit up, and he said with both surprise and joy:

"Spirit Treasure? A gift?"

Li Zhouwei looked slightly awkward and replied:

"Indeed... I couldn't refuse. They specifically entrusted the Qianyang Bracelets to me because they were worried about trouble at home, so I brought the items back."

These two spirit treasures didn't look remarkable. At first glance, they seemed like just a pair of golden rings, perfectly suited for wearing on the hand. But upon closer inspection, they faintly glowed with a platinum color, appearing and disappearing intermittently.

Li Ximing looked carefully, then finally closed the box and returned it to Li Zhouwei's hand, instructing:

"With this item, you'll have more protection. I'll also be assured with you guarding the lake. I still need to make a trip."

He took out a jade slip and a token from his sleeve, and whispered:

"During the several years you were in seclusion, the family's grand formation has been repaired. This token allows you to enter and exit both the inner and outer formations."

"This jade slip contains my experiences cultivating the 'Yetian Gate' over the past few years. Read it, then destroy it after you're done..."

He sorted through his storage bag, immediately taking out a variety of items — elixirs, cultivation techniques, spiritual energy, magic artifacts — and handing them all to Li Zhouwei. This was truly inauspicious, making Li Zhouwei's eyelids twitch.

After placing the items, he rose on a beam of light and vanished into the great void. Li Zhouwei took the items, stared at the jade box on the table, quietly sipped his tea, and his expression gradually deepened:

Everyone is a pawn... Whose family isn't a pawn? Those who refuse to be pawns, who refuse to bow down as servants, how many are not bled dry and exploited to the bone? Even Purple Mansion cultivators have their discomforts! Only by hardening one's heart, abandoning everything at once, and hiding overseas can one preserve a few centuries of freedom... In this world, as long as one harbors aspirations for advancement, one cannot escape being a servant!

As for me... I probably don't even have the right to leave their sight!

A sarcastic smile appeared on his face as he quietly lowered his head. He picked up the jade slip in his hand, extended his spiritual sense into it, and read it carefully. Indeed, it contained discussions on the Mingyang Dao cultivation. But upon reading to the very end, there was actually a section of incantations.

Li Zhouwei merely glanced at it, and his heart was suddenly shaken. With a calm expression, he crushed the jade slip in his hand. His eyes shone brightly as he looked up and said coldly:

"Who?!"

Then the great void echoed, and two figures actually emerged from Mount Zhijing!

One person was short, with horns on his forehead, an ugly face, and eyes on either side of his head. He held a pen as long as a pestle in his hand, and immediately bowed upon appearing:

"Sent by the Underworld Tribunal... Wang Long, greetings, Fellow Daoist! Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on achieving divine ability! From now on, your fate is your own, beyond life and death!"

The other person held a large book and had also been here before; it was Zhang Gui!

Both were full of joy, their gazes fervent, beaming at him. Li Zhouwei had heard Li Ximing mention these two before, and secretly shook his head:

"Now, they don't dare to say they wish me to escape the great calamity, attain fruition first, and then become a True Immortal..."

Wang Long, unaware of his thoughts, laughed:

"Apologies for disturbing you, Fellow Daoist... We've been to this place before... I never expected to return so soon. Fellow Daoist, you truly possess the talent of a celestial being... Throughout history, few have been able to break through to the Purple Mansion realm within ten years, and now we witness it! Here, the last time... the last time..."

The time it takes to break through to the Purple Mansion realm inevitably involves some luck. Wang Long was merely trying to offer a congratulatory remark. Zhang Gui, standing by, slowly picked up the conversation and said:

"Last time, it was Jiang Boqing, also a figure of exceptionally high cultivation."

"Yes, yes!"

Zhang Gui carefully observed his expression, then cheerfully said:

"This person, the Lord has praised, saying his talent surpassed norms, and his fate matched that of Xiaoshi Mountain, highly admiring him. If he hadn't made a move, how would this person surnamed Jiang have had room to stir up trouble? He would have been..."

He seemed to have a loose tongue, abruptly stopping, and then he laughed:

"Fellow Daoist, you are certainly a renowned figure capable of achieving the Five Arts!"

Li Zhouwei heard the unspoken meaning. His eyes gleamed, his hand resting on the jade cup subtly rubbing it, secretly noting the information, and he smiled:

"After breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm, I hurried home but forgot that you two Fellow Daoists would be coming to register my name... I truly apologize for making you two wait so long!"

***

**Characters appearing in this chapter:**

* Li Ximing: Early Purple Mansion Stage* Li Zhouwei: Early Purple Mansion Stage* Li Jiangqian: Mid Foundation Establishment Stage, Great Departure Book* Li Quewan: Mid Foundation Establishment Stage, Hou Shenshu* Chen Yang: Mid Foundation Establishment Stage, Jing Dragon King